11-75-70 Shipley - 60 Otley Road

Opened in 1919 by the Halifax Commercial Bank, Shipley Branch is in Martins Bank’s Leeds District, which is actually one of the smaller districts of the Bank, by virtue of a large number of other Yorkshire Branches belonging to adjoining districts.

The branch moves in 1968 to 67 Otley road, but after the merger with Barclays, their own Branch at 35 Otley Road is used. Our retirement feature sees Mr Holgate depart after a career that spans a collosal forty-three years. Even so, his retirement is descibred as being “premature” due to ill health…

1964 02 MBM.jpg

In Service: 2 January 1920 until 1968 - Moved to 67 Otley Road

Image © Barclays Ref ACC03-0477

1954 to 1964 Mr J Holgate Manager MBM-Su64P60.jpg During the first week in April Mr Jack Holgate, who retired as Manager of Shipley branch on March 31, entertained past and present colleagues to cocktails and an informal meal at the Spotted House, Manningham. In the unavoidable absence of the District General Manager it was Mr F. M. Walker (Leeds District Inspector) who presented Mr Holgate with a silver salver, the gift of his friends and colleagues. Referring to Mr Holgate's eight years at Shipley Mr Walker spoke of the warm tributes to his service which had appeared in the local Press.

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections 2022

His enthusiastic work for Bradford's music had received special mention. He expressed everyone's hopes that the ill health that had caused Mr Holgate's premature retirement would speedily improve to enable him to pursue his many interests. Mrs Holgate, whom everyone was pleased to see, was presented with a bouquet and a set of soup spoons. Apart from three years in H.M. Forces Mr Holgate's 43 years' service were spent at branches in the Bradford area. In 1948 he was appointed Manager at Duckworth Lane and became Manager at Shipley eight years later.